Saori Sumeragi
, referring to Seireitou Kawahiru.'}} | name = Saori Sumeragi | kanji = 住良木 沙織 | romaji = Sumeragi Saori | race = | birthday = October 19 | age = 2100+ | gender = Female | height = 5'9" | weight = 169 lbs | eyes = Scarlet Pink | hair = Black w/ Blue Tint | blood type = B- | affiliation = | previous affiliation = | occupation = Master of | previous occupation = Astraia the Goddess Priestess Professor | team = | previous team = | partner = | previous partner = | base of operations = | marital status = Single | relatives = (mother) | education = Self-Learning | status = Active | signature skill = Soul Imprinting }} Saori Sumeragi (住良木 沙織, Sumeragi Saori) is the first . To be more precise, it is not that she was the first Zanpakutō to be created, but rather her existence was the basis for all Zanpakutō that were forged by . She is a remnant from the , having lived in the era before the and the . As a being that was the basis for Zanpakutō, the souls of all things, both living and non-living, imprint onto her own spirit and manifest through her existence in the form of fantastical phenomena. She was born with the name Astraia (アストレア, Asutorea), which is what she is referred to as in the written mythology of . It is unknown where she originated nor when she first appeared, but Saori was said to have descended from the old world and once attempted to guide humanity toward an era of peace. Disturbed by , and fearing that her soul would be corrupted by them as a result, Astraia eventually detached herself from the workings of mortals and deigned herself to a life of solitude as she continued to observe them from afar. She would resurface during the early stages of the regime, in where she had been imprinted by and developed powers resembling their own, becoming known and subsequently immortalized in their folklore as the "Quincy Priestess" (滅却師の巫女, Kuinshī no Miko; literally meaning "Destruction Monk Priestess").Bleach story; Invitation! Gathering of the Strongest! She joined in the ambitions of only out of a desire to find a place where she could belong, but once more, her role was that of a weapon meant for devastation. Now adorning the name Saori, she abandoned them and set off on her own, yearning to find her place in this world without needing to use those powers that only brought her despair. Over the course of her time alone, she happened upon various settlements and professions, particularly during her time in the , such as her brief tenure as a village school teacher. She had become fascinated by the warrior spirit that martial artists trained to hone, believing that she could train herself in the same way and wield that sort of noble strength, never again having to use those divine powers that only brought about wanton destruction. Dedicating her efforts to the study of martial arts, Saori earned for herself a niche as a swordswoman of impressive stature, renowned by the title "Sword Maiden" (剣の太夫, Ken no Tayū; literally "Mistress of Blades"). Her name was known even in the , becoming recognized as a . She would eventually cross paths with , finding another like herself who had slowly returned from the depths of hatred born of despair, and in their interactions, they had soon formed a bond of camaraderie that would become inseparable. Saori joined him in the creation of and came to serve as its second master. In this capacity, she mentors and , and had even trained as well. Appearance Noted as being exceptionally beautiful, Saori has waist-long natural purple hair which is often kept either loose and flowing or in a traditional Japanese-style knot. When ready to engage in a fierce battle, she will undo her hairstyle and allow for her hair to flow freely. Her eyes are a soft pink and will usually not wear any sort of make-up or accessory, except in rare cases where she may adorn herself with earrings or perhaps a light shade of subtle lipstick. Although she presents herself in a calm and elegant manner, Saori is capable of exhibiting truly frightening expressions, her gorgeous face almost shifting entirety to a look that many consider even more terrifying than most . Perhaps most noticeable about her is her slender yet significantly curvaceous frame, which despite her age, makes her appear to have the body of a young adult. Her beauty is often a point of remark for allies and foes alike, with many considering her one of the most beautiful women in all of . Among all her physical assets, her enormous breasts are the most prevalent, comparable with that of . Their size, however, has equally prompted comedic remarks as well; in particular, once noted that they were so large, they "have their own gravitational pull". Saori often dresses in various articles of clothing, ranging from personal interests in trends to reflections of traditional cultures she has experienced to even efficient combat design. Typically, she is seen wearing a martial arts uniform reminiscent of Jujutsu practitioners, which consists of a white kosode that is fashionably designed with red stitching running down the sides of the robe, and connect the torso with each of the sleeves with the same sort of stitching. Her kosode is usually left open slightly, enough to reveal her impressive cleavage. On each side of the respective sleeves is similar stitching which is designed to form an eye-like picture, with two opposite-facing curves and a small circle in the center of those two curved lines. Due to her kosode being unique, it is also relatively shorter than most, ending right at her waist (potentially due to her abnormal breast size). The edges of her kosode are colored with a light soft gold color. She wears lavender hakama which, due to the shortened kosode, reveal her naked upper thighs on each side of her body, with two straps tied on each side of the hakama. She wears a light brown tomoe necklace around her neck crafted from sandalwood, which exudes a rather pleasant smell. garb.]] In the past, which has carried over into one of her present attires of choice, Saori was fascinated with the culture of the Samurai, and often dressed in outfits modeled over their designs. She often wears a petite pink kimono along with a pair of long purple stockings. Underneath, she appears to adorn a fundoshi. While in this outfit, she often keeps her hair up in a ponytail, though this may be more of a case of supporting combat efficiency more so than adhering to aesthetic. Centuries ago, she wore another variation of this warrior attire, which consisted of a tight leather top that emphasized the shape of her breasts, a miniskirt and stockings, and wore a grey haori over her shoulders with a rather unique crest printed on both frontal areas. In regards to her leather top, however, she would complain that her chest continued to suffocate her during battle. She also wore a blade on her hip, reflecting the style that samurai were accustomed. It is unknown if she still uses this attire in the present time. While in , it is not uncommon for Saori to dress in more casual clothing, though she is accustomed to wearing classic kimonos and yukata; similar in the style worn by residents. Her favorite one appears to be a yukata with a floral pattern, complete with a dark-colored obi. Saori also possesses what appear to be traditional priestess clothing, complete with a dark red hakama kept on by a robe-comprised obi. Her top is a silk kimono that fully seems to cover her chest. The upper parts of her arms are visible, as both the shoulder and sleeves are separated from one another, though kept together by small red laces. The ends of her sleeves end in tan grey edges, designed with similar red laces that run around the horizontal edges of the sleeves. In the more recent years, Saori finds herself similarly fascinated with Chinese attire as well, even switching to qipaos in lieu of her standard kimono dresses. Her preferred qipao is a sleeveless dark blue version with red trim along the edges, which is tied at the waist with a red sash. The considerably form-fitting dress has two length slits that hang from her front and backside, leaving most of her sides exposed. She opts for more unique and when in the . Among her clothing of choice, Saori fancies a short Chinese-style dress that exposes ample amounts of cleavage along with her midsection. The sleeves part half-way down her arms and flutter about, while the hem ends at around her upper thighs. In this outfit, she keeps her hair up in a knot while allowing the ends to hang out freely. While she worked as a teacher, she was often shown wearing formal suit attire which put on display her curvy assets, sometimes opting for a more casual look accompanied with a lab coat. Saori also wears the more modern styles of fashion as well, dressed in attire that would make her resemble an average twenty-year-old. Saori manga.png|Saori in the manga. Saori dress.jpg|Saori's formal dress. Saori war uniform.png|Saori geared for war. Saori dual wield.jpg|Saori's priestess clothing. Saori Qipao.jpg|Saori dressed in a qipao. Saori professor.jpg|Saori as a professor. Saori normal clothes.jpg|Saori dressed in modern clothes. Saori in the bath.jpg|Saori in the hot springs. Personality Depicted as being remarkably enigmatic, Saori often exudes the pinnacle of composure and elegance. While the other masters of are considered a rambunctious lot, she is often the voice of reason that keeps everybody grounded. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that she can be considerably stubborn, even to a fault, with little being able to change her mind once she is sure of something. A unique combination of both passionate and soft-spoken, Saori is a caring woman that puts those she cares for above her own importance. It is not uncommon for her to risk her own life in order to assist another, though this sense of care only seems to extend to those she is genuinely attached to. For her to be involved in the protection of someone unfamiliar, it would have to be due to someone else's request; someone close to her, such as or one of her students. One could say this is a direct result of her desire to find a place where she could belong, being fiercely loyal and attentive to the people she considers her family. That said, the kind and calm Saori is no stranger to intimidation tactics and genuine rage. It is rare for her to outright unleash on others, except to make a point, but it becomes even more terrifying when she exhibits her classic glare. Seireitou has compared it to the same face given by , in the same sense that while Saori may maintain a playful and even warming expression on her face, the sheer chilling horror that exudes off of it is unmistakable. is often on the receiving end of these glares the most, due to his reckless actions. As one of her precious students, Saori feels unparalleled anger whenever she believes Minato has done something that almost cost him his life. Minato had once stated he would "rather face a thousand Seireitou-shishou in actual battle than incur Saori-sensei's wrath even once", suggesting that it fills him with dread when the possibility comes up. The same result tends to occur even in enemy battles, where many foes are coerced into standing down when faced with Saori's rage-filled yet composed expression. This tends to arise mainly whenever someone speaks down to her, something she cannot tolerate, which seems to reflect some semblance of personal pride in herself. At first impression, one would not think Saori has an irresponsible side of her own, but they would find themselves surprised to know how much of a handful she could be. If left to her own devices, it can be presumed she would be the most reckless out of all the Senjukuha masters. It becomes even worse when she is in a drunken stupor, which happens to be a great deal of the time. Unusually so, Saori is not any type of specific drunk; rather, she alternates between every type possible. When she is a sleepy drunk, even a volcano erupting would be unable to wake her. As a violent drunk, not even Seireitou can contain her as severe property destruction becomes increasingly likely. It becomes almost like a roulette game, with the masters of Senjukuha readying themselves for what manner of drunk might appear this time around. One might say her tendency to drink so much is a sign of her dealing with inner turmoil, but another view on it is that Saori feels comfortable enough to engage in such irresponsible acts of hedonism no place other than Senjukuha, where she feels the most safe. Her normally relaxed personality can occasionally be disrupted by the giddiness she feels when discussing matters of love. Whenever confronted by a pair of individuals she believes fit together romantically, she becomes almost excited at the prospect of "shipping" them together. This is seen most prominent with Minato and , to which Seireitou and the others consider to be nauseating since he views them almost like brother and sister. Similarly, Saori tends to be rather confident in her own natural sex appeal, and often feels no shame in using it to her advantage or to simply tease others. Despite being someone who keeps a lot of her past and deep emotions private, Saori has no qualms about declaring her immediate thoughts, which is definitely blatant in aforementioned instances, but even more so when she has a strong opinion one way or the other about a given circumstance involving others. Saori is definitely not the shy type, even going as far as to insult or make blunt hurtful statements so as to get across her point. No matter how sensitive the subject, she is more than willing to admit her true feelings and opinions to others, regardless of the effect those notions may have on them. If there is anything Saori fears, it is returning to a state of loneliness. She greatly fears the loss of everything she has come to love, and tends to dote on the Senjukuha residents as a result. Among these close ties she has made after all this time, her relationship with Seireitou is perhaps the biggest anomaly for anyone who tries to describe it. One might ask if they were lovers, but both would deny this. Another may think they were siblings, but they would also say this was wrong. Calling them friends is not enough to express the deepness of their connection. Would you say they were a superior and a subordinate, equal partners, a teacher and a student, acquaintances, sweethearts? None of those classifications would fit. Simply put, there is no way to label their relationship, since it goes beyond anything that could be identified as one thing or another. If there were any way to accurately describe them, it would be that they were one soul, two halves to a whole, who exist as individual beings. A bond that cannot be torn because there is nothing that can be broken in order to split them apart. As such, Saori is vastly protective of Seireitou, but perhaps even more so, she is confident in both his judgment and abilities. Even when others find themselves concerned for his welbeing, Saori will be the last to show such worry, not because she does not care but because she knows there is no cause for alarm. Saori enjoys Japanese dancing and admires a great deal of their culture. She tends to buy superfluous amounts of clothing from various department stores in the human world, among other trinkets of interest. This happens to earn her a great deal of scolding from Seireitou, since she tends to spend money from their Senjukuha budget when making these purchases. When she feels like getting a drink, she finds potential drinking partners and invites them to come out with her, and then has them treat her to drinks so that she wouldn't have to spend any money. This is shown when Saori decided to spare an enemy's life, in exchange for said enemy paying for sake. History .]] uniform.]] .]] There is little known about Saori's past during before the . It is unclear whether she has always existed in this form or if she has cycled through countless lifetimes with "Saori Sumeragi" being the current incarnation. She herself cannot say either way. What is known is that she was once involved with guiding humanity toward a chaotic time in history, with her having been known as the goddess "Astraia". However, the wickedness of humanity, which culminated in the act of the , induced a fear within her heart of being corrupted by them and so she distanced herself from their workings. Astraia opted to observe them from afar, not only for her own protection but also to avoid becoming the demon she feared she would become by being colored by their wickedness as per her nature. At some point afterwards, she had given herself the name Saori. Her actions following her time as Astraia were unknown, though she can attest that it was centuries of loneliness. She would eventually become affiliated with the , in which the Quincy King himself, , was intrigued with her capabilities and saw her as an asset in his plans to invade the . Saori herself viewed this as an opportunity to perhaps find a place where she could belong, even if it came at the cost of supporting a large-scale conflict such as the one Yhwach planned. During this time, she had learned the ways of the , and had even managed to harness their abilities as her own. Saori also served as a teacher to . However, she soon realized that she only had value as a weapon of war to the Lichtreich, not only to the Quincy King but also to his . That was why, prior to the invasion of Soul Society, she abandoned them; once more entering a life of solitude. Synopsis attire.]] Birth of the Senjukuha Azure Spring of the Monkey King The Darkness Cometh A Larger World Equipment *' ' (伝令神機, "Divine Messenger Machine"): Similar to Seireitou, Saori also possesses a Denreishinki phone that was given to her by the . It resembles a standard black flip-phone, enabling the to contact her or Seireitou. She is able to detect using its tracking function as well. Saori often changes the ringtone, using various songs from the that she finds entertaining. Powers & Abilities Immense Spiritual Power: According to Seireitou Kawahiru, even by Seijin-level standards, Saori possesses tremendous spiritual energy. While not projected as spiritual pressure, Saori's reiryoku quantities are monstrously vast, to the point where Seireitou feared to even attempt to sense her presence, for fear of feeling lost in their spiritual power. The color of it is shown to be silk pink, and at times, can even turn into a more white color. However, the color is shown to revert to a light purple when releasing her Shikigami power. Similar to Shiori Miyamoto, Saori's spiritual power possess purification elements; being almost "holy", to which demons fear to come near her. In fact, it's purification power is so great, that no Hollow can come into contact with Saori's reiatsu without being purified. It leaves a "warming presence" whenever she allowed her energy to flow. Saori is also able to erect barriers and break seals with her energy. Saori's spiritual energy is so great enough that even Haru Kurokami could not sense it. According to Haru, by achieving evolution into a dimension separate from the Shinigami, both Shinigami and Humans have become unable to feel her reiatsu unless she voluntarily lowers her level and allows them to interfere. Despite this, Saori's spiritual energy amount is staggering, but its limits are unknown. In the past, as one of the Hakkō Ichiu, Saori boasted an impressive amount of spiritual power, enough to bring down anyone to their knees with a single glance. Back then, even Kyebaek Tae, a man known for his immense power, commented how her presence was monstrously overwhelming; becoming even more unbearable when Saori's anger was invoked. She was called a "beautiful monster" by the other Hakkō Ichiu because of this, prompting a great many of them to not get on her bad side. *'Seihaku:' Not Yet Revealed .]] *'Dōhaku:' Not Yet Revealed Emotional Perception: Saori is occasionally able to see a person's emotions in physical form. To her, the darkness in Sao Jiang's soul appeared as heavy, black robes constantly weighing him down, even when he was laughing or smiling. When Raian Getsueikirite felt remorse for his failure to defeat Dante, Saori noticed a strange purple aura surrounding the brown-haired man. She is also able to easily track someone by a specific combination of personality traits, in which she is able to find hidden opponents by simply noticing their hue. Immense Strength: Konohanasakuya (花媛 (コノハナサクヤ), literally "Blossom Princess"): Saori is capable of manipulating reishi particles to generate thousands of cherry blossoms that surround her body. Normally, she initiates this technique while dancing in circles with her arms extended outwards, making some sort of reference to her love of japanese dance. Once formed, Saori can mentally control the blossoms, or even direct them with her hands. As the blossoms moves through the air like torrents of waves, it gives the appearance of cherry blossoms flowing swiftly along with the wind, shown in traditional japanese settings. Essentially, these blossoms behave almost identically to that of the blade fragments that are cast by Senbonzakura's abilities, as noted by Raian. Saori is capable of hardening the blossoms to the point that they become as hard as steel, allowing her to shred opponents at a distance and break through almost any defense. She commonly forms them into large masses, designed to obliterate opponents instantaneously. Saori also has those masses of blossoms form various shapes, such as large whip-like structures to be used in battle, or even large walls to defend against multiple enemy attacks. The blossoms, whilst in this hardened state, are also used for defensive purposes, as they can even protect Saori from an incoming sword swing. This ability of her's can be manipulated for various unique techniques. Martial Arts Master agent.]] While the extent of her proficiency in hand-to-hand combat is not known, her standing as one of the Senjukuha's masters implies she has great ability. Seireitou has openly declared her to be a master of the martial arts. It is clear that she holds great acrobatic talent, normally catching Seireitou off-guard by hanging upside down from the ceiling of the dojo. Like Seireitou, she utilizes a unique form of hand-to-hand combat by combining traits of different martial arts. It is shown that she has immense knowledge of Jujutsu, and with the addition of other martial arts, forged her own unique form of the aforementioned style. She is arguably one of the most powerful masters of the Senjukuha, able to engage in a battle against both and simultaneously and unarmed, managing to give both of them a difficult time, with neither of them being able to make contact. She could dominate and pin-down Meiying with virtually no effort in a one-on-one fight and finished while sustaining only one cut on her clothes, due only because of a momentary lapse of focus on Saori's part. She is capable of instantly shifting the balance ratio between skills and raw strength in her techniques, in which she can throw away any form of skill for sheer raw strength in her strikes, or abandon raw strength and use only skill, both cases of which are extremely effective. Her physical attacks are mostly punches and kicks which are supported by her ridiculous strength. With a single punch, Saori cracked the concrete underneath her effortlessly. Likewise, with a single thrust of her palm, she was able to break through Kyebaek Tae's body armor, which was supposedly as strong as steel, and even cause him to violently vomit up blood due to the force of the strike. *'Roundhouse Kick' (回し蹴り, Mawashigeri) *'Hapki' (합기 (ハップキー), hapuki; Korean for "Joining Energy", Japanese for "Coordinated Power") Kenjutsu Master .]] Expert Swordsmanship Specialist: Saori is skilled in the art of swordsmanship, usually only employing her sword when she faces a opponent with a drawn weapon. Her body flows elegantly when engaging in combat, so finely tuned that she can stop her attacks at a moment's notice and subsequently execute lethal attacks with absolute precision. Seireitou comically claims that the only thing stopping Saori from achieving masterful technique is that fact that her large breasts get in the way of her sword forms. Despite this, Saori shows exceptional usage of Kendō sword techniques. It should be noted that even though her sword attacks are strong and lethal, similar to that of her hand-to-hand fighting style, she focuses her style entirely on skills. She will only utilize enough force to shatter the opposing blade of her opponent, and nothing further, as she dislike shedding blood. Her method of flying through the air with her sword attacks has led to Raian nicknaming this as "zero gravity" fighting, with Mūhana Nura describing the way she fights with her sword as "being like a feather that can slice through the wind". Precise and accurate, just as the wind caresses the slope of the mountain as it flows, Saori is a true master of the sword. With mere flicks of her wrist, she can deliver powerful strikes with her katana that can slice through sturdy structures with such ease that it is witnessed as though she were cutting through water. The speed at which she strikes and defends is seen as mere blurs, her technique so close to perfection that the blade itself might as well be an extension of her own arm. Saori is most proud of her ability to effortlessly shift between the degree of physical strength applied during her swordplay. While most swordsmanship is conducted through a ratio of strength and technique, Saori is able to actually manipulate this ratio. She can utilize fluid movements with her blade that focus entirely on technique and abandon raw strength, which is akin to the idea of soft martial arts, with such ability that she can even redirect spiritual-based techniques by causing it to collide and then bend direction by a mere twisting of the blade in her hand. On the other hand, she can devote one hundred percent of raw strength into her swordsmanship, delivering blows with such force that nothing can hope to stand up to them without causality. In this sense, Saori has mastered the art of hard and soft through swordsmanship, in both theory and application; a feat that is considered impossible by most practitioners of standard Kenjutsu. Quincy Powers : In the same manner as a , Saori can gather both spirit energy and particles together in order to form physical weapons. Her favored weapon manifests in the form of a traditional katana with unique features etched onto its handle and a decorative crossguard. It seems to also possess a pair of bells that are hung onto the end of the weapon's hilt by sturdy threads. The katana apparently carries an immense cutting power. When choosing to engage in two-sword style, she will form two exact katana in the same condition as the singular version. Though this is her most preferred option, she is able to ideally create any sort of weapon she desires, granting her a very fluid and adaptive fighting style that supplements her martial arts. Blut Master *'Blut Vene' :*'Blut Vene Anhaben' (外殻静血装 (ブルート・ヴェーネ・アンハーベン), Burūto Vēne Anhāben; German for "Wearing the Blood Vein", Japanese for "Shell of Stilled Blood Guise") *'Blut Arterie' :*'Blut Arterie Anhaben' (外殻動血装 (ブルート・アルテリエ・アンハーベン), Burūto Aruterie Anhāben; German for "Wearing the Blood Artery", Japanese for "Shell of Moving Blood Guise"): Unlike its defensive counterpart, the Blut Arterie Anhaben does not serve to block and consume that which attempts to penetrate its shell, but rather, it expels a tremendous force from the center that expands outwards devastating a certain radius away from Saori's body. While it can be used in a strictly offensive manner, in which Saori merely wills the pulse of force from her center to either blast away enemies in close vicinity or to knock away projectile weapons or attacks, the true use of the Blut Arterie Anhaben is that it can absorb the energy of an incoming force and send it blasting back outwards in an explosive release of power. An absolutely calm mind is necessary to use it, as even a slight degree of emotion will disrupt the technique. *'Blut Jauche' Hirenkyaku Master: Saori's movements are fast enough that it is normally impossible to notice the path she takes from where she left to the area she appears next. She is shown to be capable of effortlessly keeping up with Seireitou's speed, a feat that is accomplished by very few. It doesn't seem as though she uses any sort of Hohō technique, but she seems to generate a flash of energy at her feet and even around her body sometimes, reminiscent to that of a Fullbringer's "Bringer Light" technique. Saori can easily close tremendous gaps of distance in the blink of an eye while remaining undetected, as shown from her ability to surprise Seireitou, who is one of the most proficient in the art as well. She is able to move swiftly, dodging several point-blank attacks by skilled Shinigami. Whenever she moves, she leaves behind a purple hue of her spiritual pressure left behind in the wake of her steps. In addition, she can appear to be in several places at once, wiping out an entire L'Obscurité squadron in seconds. She is seen to be so fast that , a master of the Shinigami Hohō technique of Flash Step, could barely keep up while Saori was still holding back. Minato compared Saori's speed to that of Seireitou, being unable to personally decide which one was faster. *'Illusion Clones:' Using her immense levels of speed in multiple instantaneous short bursts, Saori can appear to create solid clones of herself. It is unknown how many she can form at any one time as she has been seen creating anywhere between a single clone to near a hundred. They are indistinguishable from her true self, and are capable of individual movement. Even when used in battle, the clones will appear to take on solid characteristics (such as being able to make contact with physical attacks, and being hit by an opponent's attack), but eventually fade away due to being illusionary. Seiyo no Kuten The Seiyo no Kuten (星夜の九天, "Nine Heavens of the Starry Night") are nine entities that serve as the core of Saori's unique powers as a . It is an ability similar in principle to the Shun Shun Rikka of . These nine spirits are living incarnations of her power, forged from her own soul and given physical form, normally residing within her like that of spirits. She does so through the creation of nine individual entities that are each separate manifestations of Saori's own soul, summoned forth through her will for the sake of performing a specific task. Unlike Orihime, however, Saori does not house these spirits in an external medium but simply calls upon them, prompting the specified spirit to manifest into the real world in its individual form. The nine entities have their own physical forms and identities, as well as personalities, though they do share a distinct physical aspect in that they all have light blue skin and humanoid figures. They also appear to each hold a peculiar staff that contains a luminescent sphere sitting on top and adorned by an orbital ring. Each of the nine govern a specific power belonging to Saori and it is only through willing them into existence that she is able to make use of that power. The entities are noted as being linked to her in both mind and soul, allowing her to instruct them without the need for verbal confirmation, though they are capable of independent action as well. Nine Spirits Mercury (水星 (マーキュリー), Mākyurī (Suisei); Japanese for "Water Star") Venus (金星 (ビーナス), Bīnasu (Kinsei); Japanese for "Golden Star"): According to , Saori is something of a contradiction; an anomaly in every sense of the term. Though she descends from the divine, boasting the status of a deity, her powers stand in complete opposition to the way of nature. In essence, Saori possesses the power to reject fate itself by denying or undoing events in various forms. If one were to say that all things happen as they are meant, in the sense that everything that transpires is the will of heaven, then a power such as this can only rightfully be called something that "violates the realm of the gods". At multiple points in her life, to those that knew naught of her divine stature, Saori was considered a "girl that surpasses god" (神を超えた少女, Kami o Tsugu Shōjo). While some viewed her power as a miracle, which allowed her to reverse tragedies and devastation, others called her a witch and a heretic, shunning both her and her powers as the work of evil. To those that revere the world and trust in the events that occur as acts of the divine, a power which can reject these events would of course be labeled as wickedness. Saori, who shares Seireitou's belief that circumstances of both the good and the bad contribute to the growth of an individual and society as a whole, often opts not to utilize this power unless the situation is truly dire. The scope and degree of this ability relies entirely upon Saori's own mood and emotional state. When she finds herself in doubt or allows herself to lose heart, her powers weaken by a proportional standard, whereas conviction and a set mind strengthens their effectiveness as well as their duration. At its greatest heights, not even other deities are safe from the effects of her ability. Saori can channel her rejection ability through nearly limitless means, particularly in both an offensive and defensive fashion, which allows her to fluidly apply her powers to almost any situation as they are needed. When she invokes this power, her spiritual energy phases into a lavender coloration and often takes on a more structural form depending on its purpose. In terms of defensive, particularly, Saori often employs this ability in the shape of barriers and shields. As it operates by rejecting the space in front of her or those she seeks to protect, it allows her to defend any sort of attack, even if it should be intangible or conceptual in nature, so long as her will is strong enough to hold it back. In effect, she is essentially dividing the dimension itself between the two sides of the barrier that she manifests; on a physical, mental, and spiritual level as well. Saori's use of this power far exceeds what , who wields the same ability, can possibly accomplish, in both scope and efficiency. While Orihime can only arrange the shape her powers manifest depending upon the positioning of her six Shun Shun Rikka, Saori can freely shape her powers as if it were water being poured into any container of the latter's choice. When further condensed, Saori can even create projectiles with the same principle, that reject anything on all sides of its structure, becoming a lance that can overwhelm even the strongest of obstacles. However, it can also become a widespread blade that sweeps an entire broad area, dividing all things that stand before its path. In the past, Saori annihilated entire villages and even nations with such a power, rendering them into naught but rubble. It is with the shape produced by Saori's power that also allows her to control the scope of the area she seeks to reject and subsequently what specific aspects she is applying her power toward. Therefore, by surrounding a single person with the barrier, for instance, she can reject whatever phenomenon that have occurred within that specific space that she desires to deny. This is seen as a testament to the control Saori possesses over this ability. While she can reject fate on all sides of the constructs she materializes, she can also control which specific side rejects and isolate the ability to that side only. This affords Saori a healing power that goes beyond healing spells or even regression of spacetime, for she is able to limit, reject, and negate any kind of event that has happened to her target; whether it be a living entity or otherwise. Because of this, even the speed at which Saori heals her targets surpasses even the most seasoned of healers, restoring her target even if they should lose an entire limb or their body had been torn beyond repair. She can quite literally perform feats that are commonly regarded as impossible, even returning a broken back to its original glory. Many have even claimed that her power is able to resurrect the dead, overturning the very flow of souls, but Saori has not opted to confirm nor deny such a claim. Even if such a thing was possible for her, she would refuse to upset the order of the world to such an extent. However, Saori is not beyond employing her powers in cruel and inhumane manners, especially for when she is consumed with rage. Perhaps what is best regarded as the genuine opposite of healing, Saori is able to reject certain aspects of her target's history to the point that she has demonstrated the ability to deny any healing the target has ever experienced. When this happens, her victim suffers the pain of every single wound that they have ever experienced in their entire lives from the moment of their birth reopening all at once. She accomplishes this by allowing her power to act upon the memories within the victim's , allowing her to ideally reject every single instance of a victim's wounds being healed either by another person or naturally. Every single wound, whether it be physical or mental, immediately bursts open and takes its toll on the victim of the technique. In most cases, if not all cases, this would cause an opponent to fall dead at the very beginning of the wounds reopening. It is truly a sadistic display of her powers, but to reject such precise phenomenon over the course of a significant period of history demands an enormous expenditure from Saori's reserves, even to the point of tiring herself out after a couple uses. Terra (地球 (テラ), Tera (Chikyū); Japanese for "Rock Sphere") Mars (火星 (マルス), Marusu (Kasei); Japanese for "Fire Star") Jupiter (木星 (ジューピター), Jupitā (Mokusei); Japanese for "Wood Star") Saturn (土星 (サターン), Satān (Dosei); Japanese for "Soil Star") Uranus (天王星 (ユレーナス), Yurēnasu (Ten'nōsei); Japanese for "Heavenly King Star") Neptune (海王星 (ネプチューン), Nepuchūn (Kaiōsei); Japanese for "World/Sea King Star") Pluto (冥王星 (プルートー), Purūtō (Meiōsei); Japanese for "Darkness King Star") Power Sharing Within Saori, a which is normally reserved and joyful, there lies a particularly dark and violent which possesses remarkable powers that surpass even those of and . It is the side of Saori's soul that is normally hidden away but has revealed itself in times of great disaster and turmoil. The aggressive side of her spirit takes on a form which is acknowledged as the goddess of beginnings, whose presence signifies a time of great change in the world; whether that suggests a golden age revival or an annihilation of everything. Saori stated that in the beginning, she was unable to control herself when she entered the form of her Aramitama. It was as if the one known as Astraia was two separate entities. Because of this, her self adopted the name Saori and isolated herself from people for fear that feeling any sort of love would eventually lead to hatred and her Aramitama would awaken to bring destruction to the world. She would find herself eventually forming a romantic relationship with an original member of the which had started her down a road to accepting her emotions but she never managed to succeed upon watching her lover die in the . Once more, she returned to isolation. It was not until her eventual meeting with that she came to learn how to wield her power and man Taking on the Aramitama form results in a dramatic transformation in which Saori's dark raven hair lengthens considerably and shifts into a bright silvery white. Atop her head, a pair of beige horns take shape, resembling rabbit ears. Her eyes lose their purple pupils and are shrouded with an intense pearl color. Saori's body is covered with a high-collared hime-kimono which is adorned with intricate gold and purple lines, along with a series of tomoe that run down the center and edges of the gown. Quotes * (To Hinata Kusuhana, about her unnaturally large breasts) "I was... blessed with these by Heaven!" * (To Seireitou Kawahiru) "Of course we'll be able to change. I'm sure of it. We really are weak creatures, but that's why we can strive to become stronger. Even if you feel it's useless, each step we take leads to something great. That's why I'm sure we'll be able to change. Because we're weak... and because death is inevitable... We try our best to live, and end up becoming stronger for it. If your heart is still hesitating... Try to remember. Remember why you fought, Kawahiru-kun. Remember why you are still fighting. You fought for them. For their future. And they, in turn, will fight for the future of those who will come after. Don't worry... I'll be there for you. So you won't have to do it alone." * "I'm not drunk, I'm just exhausted because I've been up all night drinking." * (Thinking about Seireitou) "Yes, I have no basis for this. Do you want me? I wouldn't ask that. I... I want you. You worry for me. You cry for me. You've become the bond that brings me strength. I've become reliant on the wind that blows from you... Kawahiru-kun." * (To Sōkudo) "Don't let this madness go any further. You might think that everything is going according to your plans, but killing "Silver Hairs" Seireitou is impossible. No... not just Kawahiru-kun. You seem to underestimate all of our powers. We are not fighting you as individuals with separate motives at heart... we are fighting you as one entity. Crushing us will not be an easy task." * (To Seireitou) "I am your sheath. I am destined to stand with you, no matter what." * "I won't forget that light like yours, Kawahiru-kun, which stems from the depths of your soul. Compared to that false light gilded with a gold shell... When you were angry, your entire soul was enraged. And when you would laugh, you did so with all your heart. The silver light you've always had... is infinitely more dazzling. I would never let a light as false as that man to lead me astray. So you have to stand up one more time... and grip your sword. If this world has been painted a false color, then bring back its true colors. Tear away the deceptions, and take back our world. Bring back everyone's true smiles. Remember it... The color of your soul." * (To Hiroi Kyozai) "You know, as you may have assumed, Kawahiru-kun is much stronger than me. That is a given. However, he dislikes shedding blood, and refuses to kill. He believes that the loser of a fight may become stronger than their opponent, supposing they walk away alive. I, however... do not have that same preconception about an opponent. Nothing but Kawahiru-kun could stop me from killing you should you make me engage in battle. But Kawahiru-kun is preoccupied at the moment, meaning nothing here stands between me killing you... except for your own decision to stand down." Bleach roleplay; Crossroads Collision, When Titans and Gods Clash! References Behind the Scenes Saori's official theme is "If" by Kana Nishino. According to the author, her seiyū is Yuriko Yamaguchi, who plays Nico Robin in the anime series, One Piece. Her birth name, "Astraia" (Astraea), an ancient Greek name referring to a goddess of justice whose name literally means "star-maiden", referring to the symbol of the Vandenreich. According to legend, Astraea will one day come back to Earth, bringing with her the return of the utopian Golden Age of which she was the ambassador.